2012 Nissan Altima Engine Problems
31 owner-reported engine complaints from NHTSA data
Data sourced from NHTSA public database. For informational purposes only. Always consult a qualified mechanic.
Owner Complaints (31)
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I ONLY HAVE 96,000 MILES ON MY VEHICLE AND I CAN'T ACCELERATE. I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN THIS HAPPENED. IT PICKS AND CHOOSES WHEN IT WANTS TO ACCELERATE AND I ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT ON THE HIGHWAY AND ON THE INNER ROADS. THIS IS NOT SAFE AND NISSAN REFUSES TO TAKE RESPONSIBILITY
I TOOK THE CAR TO A REPAIR SHOP BECAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND WAS TOLD THERE IS A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE AND THE DEALERSHIP DID NOT TELL ME. I WAS DRIVING ON A CITY STREET GOING THE SPEED LIMIT.
ON 8/17/2020 AT 11:30AM I WAS DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH WHEN EVERYTHING IN MY CAR, INCLUDING THE ENGINE SHUT DOWN WITH NO WARNING. I QUICKLY PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS MY CAR RESTARTED WITH NO OTHER PROBLEMS THAT DAY. ON 8/18/2020 AT APPROXIMATELY 1750HRS AFTER EXITING THE EXPRESSWAY, AGAIN MY CAR SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING 10-15 MPH, AFTER 2 ATTEMPTS MY IT RESTARTED. THE CAR CURRENTLY HAS 46,000 MILES, I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER AND THE CAR IS SERVICED AS SCHEDULED BY MANUFACTURER. I CURRENTLY HAVE AN APPOINTMENT ON 8/28/2020 WITH NISSAN OF QUEEN FOR AN EVALUATION OF THIS PROBLEM.
CVT TRANSMISSION
THE ENGINE HAS ALWAYS MADE EXCESSIVE NOISE WHEN ACCELERATING. I HAVE SINCE LEARNED THAT IT HAS BEEN THE TRANSMISSION AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THE CVT TRANSMISSION IN NISSAN ALTIMAS. I FEEL THAT GIVEN THE SEVERAL THOUSAND DOLLARS IT TAKES TO FIX THAT NISSAN SHOULD EITHER PUT OUT A RECALL OR COMPENSATE FOR THIS AS IT CAUSES THE DRIVER TO BE STRANDED ONE THE TRANSMISSION DOES EVENTUALLY FAIL. *TR
I BOUGHT A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA 2.5S SEDAN FROM UNIVERSITY NISSAN IN UNIVERSAL CITY, CA. THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE FROM WHEN I RECEIVED CAR AT AROUND 45,000 MILES, EVERY COUPLE THOUSAND 5K-10K CARE ENGINE ENGINE COULD NOT ACCELERATE QUICKER CAR WOULD BEGIN MAKING ENGINE WHINING NOISE. IT WAS NEVER DISGNOSED AS A CVT PROBLEM WHEN I WOULD TAKE CAR TO NISSAN IN WARRANTY REPAIR . DURING DEALERSHIP REPAIR ENOUNTER MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR WAS REPLACED. "MASS AIR FLOW SENSOR" THAT HAS BEEN REPLACED MULTIPLES TIMES THROUGHOUT ITS LIFE AS WELL. CAR NOW HAS A CVT PROBLEM AND STRUGGLES DURING HOT WEATHER AND WORST IF PEOPLE ARE IN CAR NOW.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE DECELERATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND WAITED UNTIL THE ENGINE COOLED OFF. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT USUALLY HAD TO WAIT A WHILE TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MOSSEY POWAY NISSAN (14100 POWAY RD, POWAY, CA 92064, (858) 668-3600) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A COOLING SYSTEM NEEDED TO BE INSTALLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND DID NOT ASSIST. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
I BOUGHT MY CAR ONLY A FEW MONTHS AGO AND RECENTLY TAKING IT TO THE BENCH AT THEIR SERVICE, THE TECHNICIANS NOTIFIED ME THAT I HAD A LEAK AND THE GASCKET ENGINE OIL COOLER NEED TO BE REPLACED AFTER THAT I'VE BEEN SEARCHING THE INTERNET ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND I FOUND IT S A VERY COMMON FAULT IN THIS MODEL, MANY OWNERS REPORT THIS PROBLEM AND EVERYONE WONDERS WHY THERE IS NO RECALL YET
OIL COOLER LEAK WAS DETECTED DURING ROUTINE OIL CHANGE. RESEARCH SHOWED THIS MODEL & YEAR HAS A RECALL ALREADY ISSUED BUT THERE ARE NO CAMPAIGNS FOR THIS SPECIFIC VIN NOT SURE IF THIS IS SOMETHING YOU DEAL WITH OR IF IT'S A MFG ISSUE. NOT SURE WHAT STEPS ARE TO REPORT TO MFG IF THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE WENT INTO SAFE MODE AND LOST POWER. THERE WAS NO WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE VEHICLE LACKED THE FAN TO COOL THE TRANSMISSION, CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO OVERHEAT. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000.
THERE IS A CVT AND CVT COOLANT ISSUE IN THIS MAKE MODEL AND YEAR AND THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE OF PRIOR YEARS WITH THE SAME ISSUE AND NISSAN WILL NOT REPLACE IT. IT MAKES THE CAR SLUGGISH AND GO VERY SLOW UPHILL. IT IS NOT A DEFECTIVE CVT BUT THE CVT IN THE ORIGINAL MODEL. WE BOUGHT THIS CAR USED SO WE MAY HAVE GONE TO TRY TO GET THE RECALL FOR THIS VEHICLE EARLIER BUT NISSAN IS SAYING THEY WON'T HONOR THE RECALL NOW BECAUSE IT HAS EXPIRED.
WHEN I FIRST BOUGHT IT I HEARD A WHISTLING SOUND AND WAS TOLD IT WAS NOTHING. I TRAVEL A LOT AND WHILE ON THE INTERSTATE I WENT FROM GOING 75 MPH TO 30 AND IT WOULDN'T ACCELERATE. I WOULD PULL OVER AND WAIT ABOUT 10 MINUTES UNTIL I COULD ACCELERATE. INITIALLY I THOUGHT IT WAS THE FUEL LINE SO I PUT FUEL INJECTOR IN IT AND IT A COUPLE DAYS LATER IT HAPPENED WHILE I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AGAIN. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME AT LEAST 5 TIMES. I CAN'T EVEN DRIVE IT ON THE INTERSTATE. AFTER TAKING IT TO THE MULTIPLE MECHANICS I WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE TRANSMISSION AND IT WILL NEED TO BE REPLACED.
CVT BROKE DOWN- WITHOUT ANY WARNINGS. RPMS LOCKED APPEARS TO BE A PROBLEM IN MAJORITY OF NISSAN ALTIMA 2011-2012 MODELS. RECALL WAS ISSUED FOR PRE2010 MODELS FOR THE SAME THING BUT NOTHING WAS DONE FOR 2011-2012 MODELS, WHICH IS THE ONE I HAVE.
CAR STOPPED ACCELERATING, FOUND OUT THE TRANNY WAS BAD. NISSAN WONT REPLACE OR COMPENSATE. NISSAN DEALER EXPECTS ME TO PAY 4000 OUT OF POCKET FOR A BRAND NEW TRANSMISSION. CAR IS ONLY 6 YEARS OLD. HAVENT EVEN PAID THE CAR OFF YET AND TRANSMISSION IS ALREADY GOING BAD. AVOID NISSAN ALTIMAS AT ALL COSTS
ENIGINE/TRANSMISSION ISSUES ON OUR WAY OUT OF TOWN, NOT 45 MINUTES INTO OUR TRIP AND WITHOUT WARNING THE CAR GOES FROM 65 MILES TO LESS. THE CAR WILL NOT ACCELERATE. WITH A TWO LANE HIGHWAY AND TRUCKS BEHIND US. I AM VERY CONCERNED OF GETTING STRANDED IN THE DESERT, KILLED OR SEVERELY INJURED. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME. IT'S OCCURRED NUMEROUS TIMES. OUR DEALER PEORIA NISSAN IN AZ SAID, THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG EVEN AFTER WE INSISTED. SOMETHING'S WRONG, I SWEAR IT'S A FAULTY TRANSMISSION ISSUE.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE STATIONARY, THE OIL COOLERS IN THE VEHICLE FRACTURED AND LEAKED ONTO THE GROUND. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED OR DIAGNOSED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED AN ESTIMATE FOR THE REPAIR WORK. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 141,895.
POOO18 CRANKSHAFT/CAMSHAFT SENSOR ENGINE DIES LOSS OF BRAKES AND STEERING THANK GOD COMING UP TO HOUSE SLOWING TO PARK, CITY STREET. RESTART ENGINE SOUNDS LIKE RUNNING ON 3 CYLINDERS. TURNED OFF START AGAIN, PULL CODE AND ERASE. IT RUNS LIKE NOTHING EVER HAPPENED. CALLED NISSAN AND THEY TOLD ME THAT SINCE I ERASED THE CODE THEY CAN DO NOTHING. GOOGLE 2012 ALTIMA ENGINE STALL AND PREPARE TO SPEND THE REST OF YOUR AFTERNOON READING STORIES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED AND THE FAILURE WENT AWAY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 61,000.
CAR LOSES POWER AFTER DRIVING FOR SO LONG AND DECREASES IN SPEED. IT'S HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES. I PULL OVER TO GIVE CAR A REST BUT IT'S DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT WON'T ACCELERATE WHEN IT HAPPENS AND ON THE INTERSTATE IS NO PLACE TO BE DRIVING 40MPH!!
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT IN ORDER FOR THE VEHICLE TO START IT REQUIRED A JUMP START. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE OCCURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT 60 MPH, THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT VIBRATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 63,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS TURNED ON, THE SMELL OF BURNING OIL WAS NOTICED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED WHEN STARTED AND WOULD NOT SWITCH INTO GEAR PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 77,000.
CATALYTIC CONVERTER HEAT SHIELD CAN CORRODE CAUSING A RATTLE DURING ACCELERATION AND POSSIBLY CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATION. THE COMMON REPAIR FOR THIS ISSUE IS REPLACEMENT OF THE DAMAGED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. IF LEFT UNNOTICED MAY DIG INTO THE ENGINE OR FLY OFF ONTO A MOTORIST. *TR
I WAS DRIVING MY CAR AND ENGINE JUST CUT OFF COMPLETELY WITH NO SYSTEM WARNINGS OR ANYTHING. INITIALLY, I THOUGHT THIS WAS A FLUKE AND SOMETHING I HAD DONE. CAR STARTED BACK IMMEDIATELY. AS A RESULT, I THOUGHT NOTHING ELSE OF IT UNTIL THE CAR DID THE SAME THING AGAIN WHILE I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT LATER THE SAME DAY (AGAIN THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON CONTROL PANEL. THIS HAS OCCURRED ON 2 OTHER OCCASIONS. CAR WAS TAKEN TO REPAIR SHOP WERE NOTHING WAS FOUND WRONG. SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD TROUBLE WITH THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE CONNECTION. UNSURE IF THE TWO ARE RELATED. NEEDS FURTHER INVESTIGATION AS THIS IS POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS. *TR
THIS VEHICLE HAS LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 3 TIMES NOW. JUST DRIVING ALONG AND IT JUST STARTS SLOWING DOWN ON ITS OWN. RUNNING 70MPH AND IT JUST LOSES POWER AND IT SLOWS TO AROUND 25MPH. YOU MASH THE GAS PEDAL TO THE FLOOR AND IT HAS NO EFFECT, IT WILL NOT INCREASE SPEED. YOU PULL OVER, SHOUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART AND IT RUNS FINE AGAIN. YOU GET NO WARNING LIGHTS, NO CODES. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. DEALERSHIP SAID THEY HAVE NEVER HEARD OF SUCH A THING. I SEE SOMEONE ELSE HAS FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE SAME PROBLEM NOW MAYBE YOU WILL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT THIS VERY SERIOUS ISSUE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED INTERMITTENTLY. THE PROBLEM RECURRED ABOUT FOUR TIMES AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHERE THE MECHANIC COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO ANOTHER INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ALSO COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT N REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 41,000. UPDATED 08/27/14*LJ UPDATED 09/18/2014 *JS
DRIVING LONG DISTANCES MY CAR OVERHEATS, LOOSES POWER GOING FROM 70 MPH DOWN TO 40 MPH IN HIGH SPEED TRAFFIC. I AM FORCED TO GET OFF THE HIGHWAY AND LET IT RESET ITSELF. IT HAS ALWAYS MADE A WHINING NOISE DURING ACCELERATION, AND THE BRAKES HAVE SQUEAKED FROM DAY ONE. I HAVE COMPLAINED TO NISSAN SEVERAL TIMES AND AM ALWAYS BEEN GIVEN LAME EXCUSES. NOW THAT MY WARRANTY IS UP THEY HAVE A SOLUTION TO MY PROBLEMS. NEW TRANSMISSION OR OVERHEAT CONVERTER TO THE TUNE OF $1600. HOW CONVENIENT THEY HAVE A SOLUTION NOT THAT MY CAR IS OUT OF WARRANTY!! THEY REFUSE TO HELP ME OR FIX MY CAR UNLESS I FORK OVER THE MONEY. MY CAR HAS HAD PROBLEMS SINCE I PURCHASED IT AND THERE WAS NEVER ANY RESOLVE. I PURCHASED AN EXTENDED WARRANTY AS I DO A LOT OF DRIVING. MY CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY 2,000 MILES WHEN THEY MIRACULOUSLY FOUND A CAUSE AND SOLUTION FOR MY PROBLEM.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE MADE A LOUD A NOISE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRONTAL EXHAUST TUBE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE RECURRED. ALSO, THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD A SLIGHT VIBRATION STARTING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE ALL THE WAY TO THE PEDAL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND OFFERED TO COVER THE PARTS UNDER WARRANTY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8,900 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 9,200. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 NISSAN ALTIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PUSH TO START BUTTON, WHICH POWERED THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF, WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE PUSH-TO-START BUTTON TO SHUT THE ENGINE OFF BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE FAILURE WAS EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS TIMES. THE DEALER VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER BUT NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 12,500.
2012 NISSAN ALTIMA RENTAL VEHICLE. CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME TO A NEAR COMPLETE STOP ON THE LEFT- OF- MIDDLE LANE WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED WITH NO WARNING, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY SLOWED DOWN FROM 60 MPH TO APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH AND BEGAN TO SHAKE AND JERK. THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS AN ODOR OF FUMES INDICATING THAT SOMETHING WAS BURNING OR MELTING. THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE WAS AS HIGH AS IT COULD GO, INDICATION THE ENGINE HAD OVERHEATED.